Starting of working hours at IKTT
In the morning, the people living in PWF come first to each workplace, and then women living in near villages come to PWF by bicycle. Recently, the numbers of mothers with their children are really increasing. Thus the morning work in PWF starts.
It is seven in the morning, most of men go to the site of buliding PWF school named "IIDA School". The construction of the school has been going on, the concrete posts were built, and bricks were finished piling up, and then painting walls and roofs.
But actually this seven in the morning, the works do not start on time. In this season, the time that everyone starts working in earnest is half past seven. It is the same as the weavers coming from the villages nearby.
Now it is in February, but in August everyone start working at least seven. It is related to the sunrise time.The Cambodian sunrise in this season is just after six. There are about thirty minutes gap in a year. In August, the dawn breaking after half past five.
IKTT members start working according to the sunrise at about seven, not to the clock time. When I did not know such customs, I thought they were late, looking at a clock. When I asked them about it, I got the answer from them that we start to work at the same time as usual.
The people live in following to the movement of sun and moon, and the coming and going of the tide, in the changing of nature.
It is the same feeling that I got when I found the 365 days a year's calendar hanging on the wall of Japanese farm house in the past.
But the quitting time is exact at four on time. Everyone disappears only in five minutes.
I think it is also OK.
Morimoto Kikuo
Translation by Mr.Takurou MATSUOKA
update : April 17, 2009 8:09 AM
